


The Sand Shovel Talk

by shadowmaat



Series: Crechemaster Obi [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Protect Cody Fanclub, the worst threats imaginable, tiny terrors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 00:54:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16074971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowmaat/pseuds/shadowmaat
Summary: The younglings of Gurrcat Clan have some...concernsabout Master Obi's new relationship.





	The Sand Shovel Talk

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't _planning_ to write more in this AU, but was motivated to come up with something in response to [transboba's tumblr post](https://transboba.tumblr.com/post/178345699503/there-are-so-many-fics-about-people-giving-clones) about how toxic and terrible "the Shovel Talk" is when it's people in power (the Jedi) making threats against the powerless under their command (the clones). Who'll speak up for the clones? Gurrcat Clan will!

Obi-Wan stepped into the creche, tea in hand, and knew something was wrong. Gurrcat Clan were all present and accounted for... and sitting very quietly on the Sharing Rug. Staring at him.

“Ah... good morning, everyone,” he said, trying to remember if Master Thoor had mentioned any trouble during the overnight shift.

“Good morning, Master Obi,” the children said in unison.

He set his tea on a shelf and tried to will his skin to stop prickling.

“How is everyone feeling today?”

“Master Obi?” Rana stood, folding her arms over her chest. “We need to talk.”

The faint buzz of the Duros’s voice managed to sound ominous.

“Very well.” He walked over to the Sharing Rug and sat facing the younglings, allowing Rana the high ground. “What seems to be the problem?”

Rana glanced back at the group. Keeku raised a shaking hand.

“Um?”

“Yes, Keeku?” He smiled to reassure her. And maybe reassure himself, too. Ariela nudged her.

“Um, we know you, um, like Commander Cody? Um?” Her fingers rubbed at her snout.

Obi-Wan knew he was blushing and could do nothing to stop it. The younglings had them figured out before he and Cody had even sorted out their own feelings for each other, but he’d thought they approved.

“If you’re worried that my time with Cody will mean time away from you...”

Keeku was shaking her head back and forth.

“That isn’t it,” Rana said, shifting from foot to foot. She took a couple of steps back and sat down between Nolaa and Ilar, her arms still crossed.

Snowy’s voice rumbled from the back, her translator picking up for her.

“We like Cody,” she said.

“We like  _all_  the troopers,” Ariela added.

“We don’t want him to get hurt,” Snowy continued.

Obi-Wan blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“Remember how Azi and Mur were best friends forever?” Jenec picked up the thread of whatever the younglings were trying to tell him. “Only then Azi decided he liked Tomla better so he stopped hanging out with Mur?”

Mur sniffled, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her robe. “He never said what I did wrong!”

Azi and Tomla were from Clawmouse Clan. Mur had been inconsolable for days after Azi stopped talking to her.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” Obi-Wan pulled a tissue from his pocket and floated it over to her. “Sometimes people just grow apart. It doesn’t have to be because of anything.”

“Exactly!” Jenec wrapped an arm around Mur’s shoulders and kissed her cheek.

“Obi-Wan put the pieces together quickly. “You’re afraid that Cody and I might grow apart.”

“And then Cody will be sad,” Rana said. Her red eyes narrowed at him. “We don’t want Cody to be sad.”

“We don’t want  _any_  of them to be sad,” Ariela murmured.

“And we don’t want him to go away forever because of it!” Helt tried to copy Rana’s pose but had to settle for simply holding his upper smaller hand. The lower set crossed just fine and he did his best to glare.

Obi-Wan bit down on a smile. Their protectiveness of Cody was charming, if somewhat misplaced.

“If you hurt him we’ll never talk to you again!” Wesk threatened, wrinkling his snout.

“Yeah!” The others chorused.

“And we won’t do our chores!” Ilar said.

This was met with even more enthusiasm. Obi-Wan covered his mouth and tried to think of a way to reassure them.

“And Archix Clan, too!” Keeku piped up, her voice a little muffled by the fingers covering her mouth.

Obi-Wan took a deep, centering breath before he spoke.

“You’re right to be concerned,” he said. “As Mur knows, sometimes friendships don’t always last, no matter how much one or both- or several- people might wish it otherwise.” He rested his hands on his knees in a meditation pose. Several of the younglings automatically shifted to copy him.

“But I can assure you that I would never willingly hurt Cody or his feelings. Or any of the other troopers,” he added, smiling at Ariela. “If things between us don’t wind up working out-” His chest clenched at the thought. “-we’ll make sure to talk things through first. And I promise that Cody and his men won’t be going anywhere. They’re here to stay.”

Cheers and a few relieved sighs greeted this pronouncement and then Obi-Wan found himself buried in an onslaught of younglings. It was a laughing, happy snuggle pile, though he still caught Mur’s muttered warning.

“If you ever do hurt him, though, I’m gonna bite you!”

He felt a mouth briefly close over his wrist before releasing him. Cody would be honored (and perhaps a little embarrassed) to have such stalwart defenders and Obi-Wan hoped he never did anything to earn their wrath. 


End file.
